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Analysis and Technology

Why you may never be able to buy your own self-driving car

Despite recent claims of vehicles having full automation, it is no more possible to buy a truly self-driving car now than it was 15 years ago. Will private cars that never need a driver ever reach the market?

By Matthew Sparkes

7 December 2022

The ROBO-01, an autonomous concept car from Chinese firm Jidu

The Robo-01, an autonomous concept car from Chinese firm Jidu

JADE GAO/AFP via Getty Images

The Mercedes-Benz S-Class now has a model that can drive around totally unaided – as long as you are in one specific car park in Germany. It is an impressive achievement, but how far have we really come since New Scientist proclaimed 15 years ago that a fully driverless car “may not be far off”? Cars have accumulated automatic driver aids, but a fully autonomous private car that can operate wherever you want to go is no more available today than …

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